John Kuntz, The Plain DealerBlinged-out bottles of Moet & Chandon champagne were popped for a celebratory toast marking the West Side Market's 100th anniversary at Saturday's Centennial Gala.

What better way to celebrate a 100th birthday than with a very special dinner party, or two? Especially when the guest of honor has been serving up great food for a solid century.

The West Side Market marked its official centennial on Friday and Saturday nights with a pair of bashes -- decidedly different events, but each befitting the distinctive place the market holds on the Cleveland landscape.

Friday's event, a $25-per-ticket "People's Party," drew upwards of 1,000 guests at Crop Bistro and Bar, across the intersection of Lorain Avenue and West 25th Street from the market. Saturday night, patrons and dignitaries crowded the aisles of the market's produce arcade and main building for the $250-per-guest West Side Market Centennial Gala.

Saturday's event was intended to be the weekend's signature gathering, co-hosted by Cleveland Iron Chef Michael Symon of Lola Bistro and his longtime protege , chef Jonathon Sawyer of Greenhouse Tavern, and a cavalcade of star chefs from Cleveland and across the nation. Other local chefs decided to expand the party with a second event featuring all local talent.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerMichael Symon, co-host of Saturday's West Side Market Centennial Gala, with his wife, Liz, autographs a plastic dinner plate for a fan at the event.

Both events raised money to support the Market's Capital Campaign to help pay for renovations to the building. Though final tallies won't be completed for several days, officials estimate the combined donations should add more than $250,000 to the fund.

"The private dollars we are raising, we plan to dedicate to renovation of the market's mezzanine, which would transform over 4,000 square feet of space for both public and private use and events," says Amanda Dempsey, market district director for Ohio City Incorporated. She adds that the city of Cleveland has committed a separate $1.8 million for high-priority infrastructure improvements and renovations to the century-old building.

Fundraising goals notwithstanding, the two parties were a culmination of months of celebrations, an international public markets conference, a West 25th Street parade and other special events. But for roughly 2,000 revelers spread out over the two nights, it was all about the big birthday parties and the food.

FRIDAY: GUESTS CELEBRATE A 'PEOPLE'S PARTY'

Lines wrapping around city blocks aren't everyday occurrences in Cleveland. Much less lines forming past nine o'clock at night.

But on Friday night the crowd waiting patiently to file into Crop Bistro was apparently willing to weather chilly gusts for a chance to sample food and drink from nearly 40 Northeast Ohio restaurants and other vendors.

"The People's Party," the event at Crop sold out within a couple of days.

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerEarly arrivals at "The People's Party" at Crop Bistro and Bar, across from the West Side Market, got a leg-up on food samplings from more than 40 restaurants and food vendors participating in the celebration of the market's centennial. The party, on Friday night, was held on the market's actual 100th birthday.

"But the calls for tickets haven't stopped since the event was first announced in the newspaper," said owner Steve Schimoler. "We could have sold another 1,000 tickets."

Guests packed into his massive two-floor restaurant to sample everything from the country-style pate from chef Michael Nowak of The Black Pig, and pork rangoon with green papaya salad from Bac Nguyen of Bac, to vegan macaroons from chef Anna Harouvis of Lion on Lorain and Kimberly McCune Gibson's wonderfully tasty ReHive honey ale.

His vast main dining room with its soaring ceilings had been converted into a rock hall, with his band playing a booming set of Grateful Dead tunes. Food stations lined the room as guests patiently queu'd for samples of remarkably good fried chicken from Mahall's 20 Lanes in Lakewood, and Mexican chocolate cupcakes from Bonbon Pastry & Cafe next door to Crop.

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerAt the People's Party, held Friday evening at Crop Bistro and Bar, chef Nolan Konkoski of SOHO Kitchen and Bar adds a finishing touch to his signature macaroni and cheese. More than 1,000 guests joined in the celebration.

Downstairs, foodies mingled in Schimoler's newest kitchen, where the chef develops recipes for the restaurant industry. They mused over samples of mangu, an intriguing mash of plaintains, sauteed onion and garlic from Jibaro World Eats, one of the city's most popular food trucks.

Around the corner, chef Andy Dombrowski of Zack Bruell restaurants was offering delectable bites of pork rillettes with pomegranate and herbs and chimichuri salmon tartare. Across the room, Eric Wells, chef-owner of Skye Larae Culinary Services, was greeting fans.

Wells said he wanted to be part of the event because of his long-standing respect and love for the Market.

"I shop at the market all the time and support the vendors there. This is my way of giving back to all they do for me," Wells said.

His efforts, along with contributions from other chefs and vendors -- and major ticket sales -- yielded a $25,000 donation to the West Side Market Capital Campaign.

Joe Gramc, a blogger who describes himself as "Cleveland's Biggest Fan. Lover of Sports, Travel, Food, Wine, Beer and Small Government," on his Twitter feed, @joeg2001, said there was no where else he wanted to be that night.

"I love food and like to share that with others," Gramc said. "People love it, love to talk about it. I'm going tomorrow night, too," he added, referring to the Centennial Gala.

Like many guests at the event, Maryann Marek of Independence and her friend Joni Prots of Chesterland thought the event would be an affordable opportunity to get together for an evening.

"When I first read about the other benefit [the West Side Market Gala], I was interested but it was a bit pricey," says Marek. "But a little while later I saw this one in the paper and I thought it would be a more affordable way to spend an evening with my friends."

Prots was enjoying herself, she said.

"I normally don't eat a lot of different things, but this is a chance to try some foods I wouldn't normally try," Prots said.

On this evening of bounty and celebration, she would have plenty of opportunities to sample, scrutinize and try, try again.

SATURDAY: GRAZING AMONG THE AISLES AT WEST SIDE MARKET

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerImaginative, beautiful and delicious: A dessert creation by chef Britt-Marie Culey of Coquette Patisserie in Cleveland Heights, called "The Swede," is Culey's tribute to the varied fresh produce sold at the West Side Market. Its' made of local rutabaga and carrot mousse resting atop an Ohio maple and lingonberry gelee, candied pecans and sage crisp. It was served in celebration of the Centennial Gala, Saturday night at the West Side Market in Cleveland.

For all the groceries that have been handed over the market house counters throught the decades, few have come in such exhalted forms.

Say, chicken liver parfait with Madeira jelly on toast, from chef April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig in New York City. Or pork loin with albacore tuna, pickled baby peaches and bitter greens from Chicago chef Paul Kahan of The Publican, Blackbird and other spots.

Co-host Sawyer, the only restaurateur who's businesses were represented at both nights' events, scrambled through the crowd greeting guests.

"Isn't this wild?" he shouted. "This has got to be one of the best parties anywhere, ever."

"This has been unbelievable," said Michael Symon, holding court amidst a mob of guests in one corner of the market, while his wife, Liz, helped their team serve root vegetable ravioli with a hit of grated fresh horseradish. "It says so much about the city of Cleveland and the power of this market."

Especially for the east coast chefs who suffered major losses at their restaurants yet rallied to be on hand for the event, Symon added. One, Jonathan Waxman from Barbuto in midtown Manhattan, lost nearly a half-million in food after power failures shut down his famed kitchen.

Seven Hills native Andrew Carmellini, who operates Locanda Verde in New York had to cancel, while flight delays left Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri stranded while travelling in Europe until it was too late to appear. (Members of his staff represented him, serving tasty mortadella hot dogs laced with pistachios on toasted buns with spicy pickles.)

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerCleveland blues performer Austin 'Walkin' Cane entertains guests at the West Side Market Centennial Gala on Saturday night. About 800 guests attended the event.

Foodies and fans of the market relished a markedly different way of "food shopping" at the market.

"This is such an amazing part of Cleveland, and there's the historical aspect," said attorney Jim Sammon. "And how can you beat the food?"

"Isn't this just a consumer's dream?" marveled Mary Rose Oakar, former Cleveland city councilwoman and member of the U.S. Congress. A lifelong resident of nearby West 30th Street, Oakar has been coming to the market since she was three years old.

"The market deserves this support. It's the anchor of this neighborhood -- and I'm glad they're going to take some of the money to take care of so many of the things the vendors have been asking for all these years," Oakar said.

Cleveland city councilman Matt Zone beamed as he took in the swelling crowd as more and more guests filled the aisles.

"This event will breathe new life into this facility for the next century," Zone said. "It's a whole new era for the city."

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